Sheet feeding apparatus



March 26, 1935. A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Original Filed June 15, 1951 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Albert Braadnwyez;

March 26, 1935.

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A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Original Filed June 15, 1931 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 26, 1935. A. BROADMEYER V v SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Original Filed June 15, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .mw. n H W\ 4 @i 1 1 l. lillnuw qi A@ ll mm m 5% o o wN 1M6??? flroadnwyel'.

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Patented Mar. 26, 1935 rArsr OFFICE 1,995,631 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Albert Broadmeyer, Harrisburg, 1 2", assignor to W..O. Hickok Manufacturing Company, Harrisburg, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application June 15, 1931, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 25, 1932, Serial No. 601,236

10 Claims The present invention is a required division of application, Serial No. 544,582, .filed by me on June 15, 1931.

The invention relates more particularly to governing means that controls the presentation of sheets to the suction'roller or other feeding device for the sheets.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, where a body of sheets is maintained in cooperative relation to the delivery member, as the topmost sheets are removed by said member, means are provided for maintaining the uppermost or topmost sheets of the body or pile in available condition to thefeeding device by moving the body or. pile intermittently upward or forward as the sheets are carried away. This governing mechanism includes a feeler that rests upon the topmost sheet, or in other words, against the sheet that is to be next removed. With the ordinary flexible paper sheets thedelivery device picks up the topmost sheet and carries it from' under the feeler, but where the sheets are heavier, as of cardboard, the feeler interferes with the lifting movement of the topmost sheet because the sheet will not readily bend.

An important object of the present invention to provide means which will move the v feeler so that it will not obstruct or materially interfere with the delivery of the topmost sheet.

In'the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is aside elevation of. an embodiment of the invention which is at present. considered the preferable one. v r

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. 1

Figure 3 is a detail view in elevation of. the control mechanism for the feeder.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on. 4--4 of Figure 2.

1 Figure 5 is a detail sectional view through the feeler operating motor. q

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the'control valve for the suction roller of the feeder and the feeler motor.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional 7-7 of Figure 4. I

In the present embodiment the invention is the line View on the line applied to the second feeder of an interleaving apparatus fully disclosed in the aforesaid application, Serial No. 544,532, in which sheets are carried from a first feeder by a conveyor 8 through guides 9 110 a second conveyor 10 that delivers said sheets to a layboy '11. At intervals sheets are fed from this'second feeder, designated generally by the reference numeral 12, between guides 13 (see Figure 4) to the conveyor that shown in the patent granted tome August 26, 1930, No. 1,774,315. This roller is mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 27, and suction is created therein-through a conduit 28 leading from a suction pump 29. The sheets to be fed by the suction roller 26 are mounted on a vertically movable table so located beneath the roller and supported by'chains 31 that pass around sprocket wheels 32 carried by shafts 33 journaled on the frame 11 The shafts have worm wheels 34 in mesh with worms 35 on a cross shaft 36 (see Figure 7). r

The shaft 36 is periodically rotated, and to this end it is provided with a ratchet wheel 37 adapted to be operated on by a pawl 38 mounted on'a pawl carrier 3 that is iournaled on the shaft 36. The pawl carrier is, oscillated through the medium of a link 49 having a loose play connection 41 with said pawlcarrier, this link being moved back and forth by reason of its crank pin connection 42 with a crank disk 43 on the shaft 27. The oscillatory movement of the pawl carrier 39 is controlled by a detent 45 pivotally mounted, as shown at 46 at its lower end, and having its upper end movable into and out of the path of a stop finger 47 carried by the pawl carrier 39. When the detent 45 is in the path of the stop finger 47, obviously the pawl carrier will not effectively move, but the loose play connection 41 permits the link 40 to play freely. When, however, the detent 45 is out of the. path of the stop finger 47, then the pawl carrier can move sufnciently to cause the pawl 38 to pass behind one or more of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 37, after which the pawl carrier will be moved by the link to turn the ratchet wheel, thereby rotating the shaft 36 and effecting the rotation of the shaft 33, with a consequent elevation of the table 30. The position of the detent 45 is determined by the location of the top of the pile of sheets on the table 30. To this end, a rock shaft 48 is provided that extends across the machine, and as shown more particularly in Figures 2 and 4, has a feeler arm 49 provided with a roller or head 50 that rests on the top of the pile. This rock shaft 48 has also fixed thereto an arm 51 having a yielding link connection 52 having a sliding engagement with the pivot 46 of the detent 45 as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The structure is such that when the top of the pile is at the proper elevation, the detent 45 is beneath the stop finger 4'7 and the pawl carrier cannot effectively operate, but as the top of the pile lowers clue to the removal of the topmost sheets by the suction roller 26, the feeier {i9 will ually move downwardly, thereby turning the rock shaft 48 and swinging the arm 51 in a direction to cause the detent 45 to be pulled from beneath the stop finger 47. When out of the path of said stop finger 47, the pawl carrier is able to operate, thereby as above explained elcvating the table until the top of the pile again reaches a position to raise the feeler, and through the said mechanism, bringing the detent 45 beneath the stop finger 4'7. The structure as thus far described, is well known.

This feeder is, however, often used for delivering relatively heavy cardboard, and a problem has arisen in connection therewith, for boards being stiff and the feeler resting on the topmost board or the one that is next to be fed, holds the top sheet so that the suction roller 26 cannot effectively operate upon it. Means are therefore provided for raising the fceler whenever the suction roller acts to remove a sheet. This means is preferably as follows. A motor member is provided consisting of a cylinder 53 in which is a reciprocatory piston 5.4. The piston is provided with a piston rod 55 connected to a swinging arm 56, and this arm in turn has a link connection 57 with the arm 51. .One end of the piston chamber is open to atmosphere through ports 58. The other end of the piston chamber is connected by a branch conduit 59 .with the suction conduit 28 that leads to the suction roller 26. As a consequence it will be evident that whene er the suction roller 26 is open to suction from the pump 29, suction will also take place in the branch conduit 59, and the air pressure against the outer side of the piston 54 will cause said piston to move rearwardly, thereby swinging the arm 51 in a corresponding direction and elevating the feeler arm 49 and its head 50 from the top of the pile, so that the feeler is out of the way when suction is taking place through the roller 26, or in other words, when said roller is acting to remove a sheet.

The detent 45 is loosely hung and the weight of its upper end constantly tends to swing that end toward the finger 47.

As long as the detent 45 is beneath the finger 47, it can move freely and therefore the feeler can rise and fall, the lower end of the lever actually playing on the link 52. When the upper end of the detent 45 is against the end of the finger 1'7, the feeler 49-50 has dropped low enough to swing the arm 51 to the left, slide the link 52 through the pivot mounting 46 and move the nut on said link 52 at the left of the detent .45, a sufiicient distance away from the detent to allow enough sliding play of the link 52 to permit the swinging of the rock shaft 48 and consequently the rise and fall of the feeler 49-50.

The suction through the roller '26 and in the motor member 5354 is controlled by a reciprocatory valve 60 located in a valve casing 61 in the conduit 28 below the connection of the branch conduit 59 therewith. The valve is of the usual plunger type, including a reduced portion 62 movable into and out of alinement with the passageway through the valve casing and nor mally being held out of such passageway by a coiled spring 63 on the lower end of the valve While for the purposes of this invention the valve can be moved by any suitable or well known means, in the embodiment shown, it is connected with the core 64 of an electro-niagi1ci located in a suitable case 65 mounted above said valve on the frame of the feeder.

This electro-magnet 65 in an electric circuit indicated diagrammatically at 66 and c' cuit includes a circuit closer operated by nism of the first feeder of the inter chine, all as fully disclosed in the pai. cation, Serial No. 544,582. It will evident therefore that whenever the valve 60 is operated suction will take place in the suction rol and simultaneously in the cylinder The suction roller therefore becomes active to remove a sheet from the top of the pile and as the feel at the same time elevated, it does not interiors with such removal. The sheet thus taken from the pile is delivered through the lower guideway 13 to the conveyor 10 and is deposited by the lat-- ter in the layboy '11.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advaniagcs of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further do cription and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resor to wit;- out departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim, is:

1. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a movable sheet starting device for initially starting the sheet from an assemblage of sheets,

of means for continuously moving the device, I

means for periodically making the device active to act upon a sheet and initially move it, mechanism for automatically presenting sheets to the delivering device to be delivered thereby and including a governing means having a feeler that rests on the sheets thereby presented, means for moving said feeler away from the sheets when the delivering device acts upon a sheet to prevent the feeler interfering with the action of the delivering device on the sheet delivered thereby,

and a common controller for the periodically acting means and the feeler moving means.

2. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a pile of sheets, of a movable sheet starting device acting to initially startthe move- J.

ment of sheets successively from the top of the pile, means for continuously moving the device, means for periodically making the device active to act upon a sheet and initially move it, means for elevating the pile support as the sheets are fed therefrom including a governing mechanism having a movable feeler that rests against the pile, means for periodically effecting the operation of the delivering device to remove the topmost sheet and moving the feeler from the pile when the delivering device is operated, and a common controller for the periodically acting means and the feeler moving means.

3. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a pile of sheets, of a movable sheet starting device acting to remove sheets successively from the top of the pile, means for continuously moving the device, means for periodically making the device active to act upon a sheet and initially move it, means for elevating the pile support as the sheets are fed therefrom including a governing mechanism, a feeler that rests against the pile and control the operation of the governing mechanism, means for moving the feeler away from the pile when the delivering senting device is acting on a sheet, and a common controller for the periodically acting means and the ieeler moving means.

4. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a sheet delivering device for initiating the movement of a sheet from an assemblage of sheets, of means for presenting sheets thereto to be delivered thereby, a feeler for governing the operation of said presenting means, said feeler normally resting against the sheet to be next operated on by the delivering device, a normally inactive motor member for moving the feeler from such sheet to prevent the movement of the sheet being obstructed thereby, and means for periodically causing the motor member to become active and thereby operate the feeler when the delivering device operates on the sheet to deliver it.

5. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a suction device for initiating the movement of a sheet from an assemblage of sheets, of means for presenting sheets thereto to be delivered thereby, a feeler for governing the operation of said presenting means, said feeler normally resting against the sheet to ,be next operated on by thedelivery device, a normally inactive motor member for moving the feeler from such sheet to prevent the movementof the sheet being obstructed thereby, and-means for creating suction in the delivery device and operating the motor member. r

6. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a suction sheet delivery device, of means for presenting sheets thereto to be delivered thereby, a feeler for governing the operation of said premeans, said feeler normally resting against the sheet to be, next operated on by the delivery device, a fluid operated motor for moving the feeler, means for creating suction in the delivery device and for operating the motor, and valve mechanism operating to simultaneously allow suction in the delivery device and cause the operation of the motor.

7. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a suction sheet delivery device, of means for presenting sheets thereto to be delivered thereby, a feeler for governing the operation of said presenting means, said feeler normally resting against the sheet to be next operated on by the delivery device, a suction operated motor for moving the feeler, means for creating suction in the delivery device and in the motor, and valve mechanism operating to simultaneously allow suction in the delivery device and motor to cause both to be. simultaneously active.

8. In feeding apparatus, the combination with a suction sheet delivery device, of a table for supporting sheets to be delivered by the device, mechanism for elevating the table, a governing means for the elevating mechanism including a feeler that rests against the topmost sheet to be next delivered, a suction motor for moving the ieeler from the sheet, suction creating means connected to the suction delivery device and to the motor, and valve means for controlling suction in both and permitting both to operate simultaneously.

9. In feeding apparatus, the combination with means for supporting an assemblage of sheets, of a movable device for initiating the removal of sheets successively from said assemblage,

'means for moving the device, means for periodically causing the device to act upon the successive sheets, mechanism for maintaining the as semblage of sheets in position to be initially moved by the device including a movable feeler that normally contacts with the sheets, and mechanism independent of the means that moves the device for moving the feeler to a position to prevent its obstructing the initial movement of a sheet by the device.

10. In feeding apparatus, the combination with means for supporting an assemblage of sheets, of a movable device for initiating the removal of sheets successively from said assemblage, means for moving the device, means for periodically causing the device to act upon the successive sheets, mechanism for maintaining the assemblage of sheets in position to be initially moved by the device including a movable ieeler that normally contacts with the sheets, and mechanism for moving the feeler to a position to prevent its obstructing the initial movement of a sheet by the device, said mechanism being independent of the means that moves the device and cooperatively connected to the means for periodically causing the device to act upon a sheet.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. 

